Publication

Recent developments in the Eastern Mediterranean risk turning the region once again into an area dominated by power politics. Of all regional actors, Turkey stands out for being both an ever more influential power and a source of serious concern to other countries in the region due to its greater assertiveness and perceived hegemonic ambitions. This paper argues that Turkey will rise to the status of a truly influential regional pivot state only if it builds strong ties with neighbors both near and far, with a view to shaping the regional environment along a non-confrontational and, where possible, cooperative pattern.